Are you looking for a simple way to improve patient satisfaction? AIDET is a tool developed by the Studer Group, a health care coaching company that is used for communicating with patients and their families. The tool’s acronym provides a powerful framework for communicating with patients who are often nervous and worried. Having all physicians and associates in your practice use AIDET can improve patient perception of care, reduce patient anxiety, improve clinical outcomes and ensure everyone in your practice is providing a consistent message of compassion, concern and appreciation.
Acknowledge
Greet everyone with a smile and use their name if you know it. Stop what you are doing so the patient knows that he/she is important to you. Make eye contact, and focus on the patient and their family. Create a lasting impression.
“Good morning, Mr. Smith. We’ve been expecting you and we are glad you are here.”
Introduce
Introduce yourself to others with a smile. Tell them who you are and how you are going to help them. Explain your experience and skill set to set them at ease. Say positive things about other associates and physicians in your office to let patients know they are in good hands.
“My name is Karen and I am Dr. Jones’ nurse. I will be doing your allergy testing today. I have been doing allergy tests for approximately 10 years, and I will do everything to make it as pleasant as possible for you.”
“My name is Mary and I will be checking you in today. I see you have an appointment with Dr. Jones. He is an excellent allergist. He is very good at listening and answering patient questions. Dr. Jones will take very good care of you.”
Duration
Give the patient an estimate of how long he or she may have to wait and how long it will take to complete testing. Keep the patient informed about delays and communicate next steps. After a test or procedure, explain how long it will take to get the results.
“Your total visit, including allergy testing, will last approximately three hours.”
“Your test results will be back tomorrow. We will call you with the results.”
Explanation
Explain step by step what will happen, answer questions, and let the patient know who to contact if they need assistance. Be sure to use words the patient can understand.
“For your allergy test today, you will receive 24 skin prick tests. The skin prick tests use plastic pricks that barely break the skin, and you will experience very little discomfort. After the tests, your skin will be observed for about 15 minutes to see if reactions develop.”
Thank you
Share your appreciation for the privilege of caring for your patients. Thank the family for assistance and being there to support the patient.
“It has been a pleasure taking care of you. Is there anything else I can do to help you?”
Train your staff to use AIDET in every patient interaction. Each member of your practice directly impacts the patient experience; using AIDET consistently will make patients feel valued, cared for, and appreciated.
To learn more about AIDET, you can view a free 30 minute award winning webinar by the Studer Group through Dec. 31!
